Miter box



Feb. 2, 1932. T, BURDlCK 1,843,267

MI TER BOX Filed Jan. 8, 1931 EICLS /NVNTOR Thomas Burdick @QU/Zaddira/"nefs Patented Feb. `2, 1932 'UNITED STATES #PATENT omriies frHoMAsBURDIGK, on

mann Boi:

Application mea January s, 1931. serial No. 5072413.

This invention relates to mitering guides, and has for an object theprovision of a miter box of such relativelyv small and compact designthat it is readily portable, permitting its use 'by a workman inrelatively inaccessible land unhandy locations and under Vsuchcircumstances that -a miter box constructed in accordance with moreconventional design Could not be employed.

A. morefdetailed object is the provision of a mitering guide in whichthe saw-guiding means is mounted upon a relatively small and compact bedadapted to be engaged upon a piece of lumber which is to be cutaccording to a predetermined angle and held thereupon in properoperative positionby one hand of the operator, while he manipulates withthe other hand the saw which is guided by the mitering device, in such amanner that the timber is cut ait the desired angle.

Another object is to provide an improved 1design of saw-,guiding meansfor a miter A still further object is to provide a mitering guide havingthe above described characteristics, and which Vis adapted to have theguiding means adjusted with respect to the bed about a horizontal axis,as well as about a vertical axis, whereby double angles may Vaccuratelybe cut.

The invention possesses other objects and advantageous features, some ofwhich, `with those enumerated, will be set forth inthe followingdescription of the inventions particular embodiment which is illustratedin the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the specification.y

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the mitering guide of my inventionoperatively associated with a timber, in such a manner as to guide a sawfor the purpose of cutting the timber according to a predeterminedangle.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, the ldirection'of view being indicated by thearrow 2 of Fig.,

1and with a portion of the figure broken away to reduce its length.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal view taken upon the line 3?-3 of Fig.v thedirection of view as indicated. 'A porvertical sectional 2, withlMONTROSE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGN'OR OF ONE-HALF TO ADOLF MILAR, 0F LACRESGENTA, CALIFORNA v tion of this figure is broken away to reduce itslength.

Fig. 4 is a view-similar to Fig. 3, but showing the saw guide swungabout a horizontal axis, soas'to vary the angularitywith respect to thevertical of a cut made by a saw 5 miter boX precludes its being used toadvantage under many circumstances, such, for example, as where aworkman is required to work in relatively inaccessible and awkwardlocations. Such a condition frequently arises during the construction ofa building when the roof rafters and other members are being cut andassembled. Because of the fact that a workman under suclicircumstancescannot have a work bench or a sawhorse easily available, he is requiredeither to cut the timbers without the assistance of a miter box or todescend from his elevated position. carrying with him the timber to becut, and after having cut the timber, climb back, carrying the timberwith him inorder to assemble it in its proper location.

My invention seeks to overcome thisdisadvantage of theiconventionalmiter box by providing a mitering compact, light, and simplifiedlconstruction that it may easily bev employed by a work guide which isof such' istr man vat the location where the timbers areV to beassembled. With this object in view,

the bedV 1l of my improved mitering guide,

instead Vof being a trough or channel con-V ing intended that theoperator-shall hold the 4tion is to be performed, as its support, it beimitering guide in proper operative position with respect to the timber,with one hand, while he manipulates with the other hand the saw, whichis guided by the miter device in such a manner as to cut the timberaccording to the desired angle.

The bed 11 comprises a relatively elongated strip 13, preferably ofmetal and having a flange 14 extending downwards therefrom along theforward edge of the strip. Hence, the strip 13 and flange 14 cooperateto define therebetween a right angle adapted to be engaged upon theupper forward corner 16 of the timber 12. YlChe flange 14 provided withextensions V17 at spaced: intervals therealong, preferably in the formof removable iingersof metal detachably secured the flange 14 and/or tothe` strip 13 as by one or more machine screws 18. However, inasmuch asthe extensions 17 are intended to cooperate with the flange 14 inholding the bed 11 accurately in parallelism with that face of thetimber 12 with which the iiange 14 is in engagement, the extensions 17are so constructed and mounted-that their after faceslie flush with theafter face of the flange 14, this being accomplished by notching eitherthe flange 14 to receive the extensions 1? ther-ein, or by notching theupper ends of each extension to receive the flange 14 therein, or bynotching both.

A sector plate 21 is mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical axisadjacent one end of the bed 11. The means whereby the sector plate 21 ismounted is preferably a rivet, indicated in dashed lines at 22 upon Fig. 2, this rivet extending through both the strip 13 of the bed 11 andthe sector plate 21, and having at least its'lower end, i. e. the endassociated with the bed 1,1, countersunk so that it does notproject-beyond the lower face of the strip 13.

The end 23 of the strip 13 with which the sector plate 21 isassociatethinstead of being cut at right angles with the forward andafter edges of the strip, is cut at an angle of substantially forty-livedegrees (450), and the strip is widened adjacent the end 23V by anextension 24 from the after edge 26 of the strip, thereby presenting arelatively large area of the upper surface of the stripv 13 upon whichthe sector plate 21 is guided inpivotal motion about the axis of itspivot pin 22. y

A bracket 27, arcuate in form, is secured rigidly to the bed 11, andextends overthe arcuate edge 28 of the sector plate 21, so that a pin 29Carried by the bracket 27 may be received within any one of a pluralityof holes 31 which are arranged in the sector plate 21 adjacent the edge2S thereof. The

arc within which the holes 31 are provided is' drawn about the axis Vofthe pivot pin 22 as a center, with the result that any one of the holes31 may be brought into registry with the pin 29 by adjustment of thesector plate 21 about its pivot pin 22. The pin 29 is slidably mountedWithin a tubular housing 32 which is rigid with the upper surface of thebracket 2?, and is provided with a head whereby the pin 29 may be pulledupwards against the action of a coil spring 34 which is yundercompression between the top of the housing 32 and a pin 36 carried bythe pin 29A within the housing. The parts are so proportioned andarranged that when the pin 29 is thus pulled upwards its lower end willibe retracted from the sector plate 21, permitting easy adjustment of theplate about Vits vertical axis,"after which the pin 29 may againbeengaged within one of the holes 31 to hold the'plate in selectedposition.

rllhe saw guide, indicated in its entirety at 41, comprises an elongatedstrip, preferably of metal, which is bent back upon itself along atransverse line 43 substantially midway between the ends of the strip,thus providing two parallel plates 44 and 46, spaced sutiiciently toreceive a saw therebetween. ln order to impart rigidity to the plates 44and46, beads 47 are formed therein and extend longitudinally thereof, i.e., the beads 47 extend vertically downwards from adjacent the line 43of bending of the strip 42. A transverse bead 48 is also formed in eachof the plates 44, 46 adjacent the upper edge thereof, and a bolt 49extends through both plates 44,-46 at the central portions of the'transverse beads 48. inasmuch as the bolt 49 is spaced onlyslightlybelow the line of juncture of the two plates 44 and 46, tightening ofthenut 51 with which the bolt 49 is provided will result in pressing theplates 44 and 46 toward each other and into proper guiding relationshipwith a saw disposed therebetween. This feature makes it possi ble tohold the saw accurately and also to accommodate saws of dif'erentthickness. Preferably, both the forward and lower edges and 53,respectively, of both plates 44, 46 are flared outwards slightly, so asto facilitate recipr cation of the saw between the plates without damageto the set of the saw teeth.

, The saw guide 41 is mounted upon the sector plate 21 for adjustmentabout a horizon-tal axis with respect thereto, this being accomplishedby means of a pair of spaced lugs 56 extending rigid-ly upwards from thesector plate. 21 along its. after radial edge, and another pair of lugs57 extending rigidly from the plate adjacent its lower edge, with asuitable pivot pin 5S extending through all 'the lugs 56 and 57. Meansare provided` for releasably clamping the saw guide 41 in selecteddegree of anoularity with 'respect' to the sector plate 21.Qljreferably, this clamping means is in the form of an arcuateytelescopic tube 61 comprising Jthree sections 62, 63 and 64, each ofwhich is rectangular in crossV section. The largest section 62 is madefast at its lower end to the sector plate 21, and the smallest section64 is made fast at its outer end tothe plate 44 of the saw guide 4l. Theintermediate section 63 is provided with arcuate slots 66- in itsopposite sides, and bosses v67 are formed on the inner sides of thelargest section 62 and are slidably received within the slots 66, so asto limit outward movement of the intermediate section 63 from thelargest section 62; Similar bosses 68 are also formed on the outersurface of the smallest section 64, these bosses also being slidablyreceived within the slots 66, so as to limit outward movement of thesmallest section 64 with respect to the intermediate section 63. Theparts are so'proportioned and arranged that relative motion between thesections 62, 63 and 64 vis resisted by the frictional engagement of thesections with each other. l-Iowever, a set screw 69 is-threaded throughtheV largest secti-on 62 adjacent its upper end, whereby the sections 64and 63 may be firmly clamped in completely telescoped position withinthe largest section 62.

I prefer to provide each of the holes 3l of the sector plate 21 with anindicium 7l, preferably in the form of a numeral indicating the degreeof angularity of the saw guide 4l with the longitudinal axis of the bed11 when the pin 29 isengaged within the associated hole 3l. In thismanneran operator is enabled to set the saw guide accurately, so as tocut a timber 12 along a vertical plane disposed at a predetermined anglewith respect to one of the edges of thetimber. However, in view of thefact that the holes 31 must necessarily be spaced a material angulardistance apart,`I have provided an auxiliary locking means in the formof a set screw 7 2 threaded through the bracket 27 in position to engagethe upper surface of the sector plate 21 and clamp it in selectedposition, even though none of the holes 3l lie in registry with thespring pressed pin 29.

If it be desired to cut a double angle the saw guide 41 may also beadjusted about the horizontal axis of the pin 58, as illustrated on 4and 5. @wing to the rigidity imparted to the plates 44 and 46 .by meansof the beads 47 and 48, tightening the nut 51 results in pressing theplates 44 and 46 towardv each other and into guiding engagement with asaw which is disposed between the plates, thereby insuring that a cutmade with the saw will coincide in degrees of angularity with that faceof the timber 12' with which the flange 14and/or extension 17 are inengagement, with the numeral 71 associated with the hole 31 with whichthe pin 29 is in engagement.

It is to be understood that the details of the invention as hereindisclosed, are subject to alteration within the spirit or scope of theappended claims.

I claim: Y v v l. Amitering guide comprising an elongated bed having arigid flange extending downwards therefrom along Aits forward edge, aplate mounted adjacent an end of said bed for pivotal movement about avertical axis',` saw-guiding means carried by said plate, means forreleasably clamping said plate to said bed with said guiding means inselected angular relation with said bed, and extensions removablysecured to said bed at spaced intervals therealong, the after faces ofsaid extensions being flush with the after face of said iange.

2. In a mitering guide, saw-guiding means comprising an elongated stripbent back upon I itself along a transverse line to present a pair ofsubstantially parallel plates joined along their upper edges, each ofsaid plates having beads extending longitudinally thereof to increasetheir rigidity, and means adjacent the upper edges of said plates forpressing the plates toward each other into guiding engagement with a sawdisposed therebetween.

3. In a mitering guide, saw-guiding means comprising an elongatedstripbent back upon itself along a transverse line to present a pair ofsubstantially parallel plates joined along their upper edges, each ofsaid plates having beads extending longitudinally thereof to increasetheir rigidity, a bolt extending through both plates and spaced slightlybelow their joined upper edges, and a nut threaded onto said bolt andadapted to press said plates towardV each other into guiding engagementwith a saw disposed therebetween. Y n

4. In a mitering guide, saw-guiding means comprising a strip bent backupon-itself to present a pair of parallel plates joined along theirupper edges, each of said plates having beads extending longitudinallythereof to increase their rigidity, a transverse bead formed in eachplate adjacent the joined edges thereof, a bolt extending through saidtransverse beads, and a nut threaded onto said bolt and adapted to presssaid plates toward each other into guiding engagement with a sawdisposed therebetween.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

vTHOMAS BURDICK.

